Notwithstanding anything in this division to the contrary, if the board of supervisors finds that protests have been made, prior to the close of the hearing for the formation of the district, by the owners of real property within the proposed district the assessed value of which as shown by the last equalized assessment roll constitute more than one-half of the district’s assessed value of the real property within the proposed district or by the owners of more than one-half of the total acreage within the proposed district, the proceedings shall terminate.